President Bola Tinubu has urged state governments to ensure that savings from cheaper CNG-powered transportation translate into lower fares for Nigerians ahead of October 1.
Tinubu gave the charge in a statement on Saturday, updating Nigerians on the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme, which was established following his August 27 meeting with the 36 state governors.
He said the objective agreed with the governors was for more Nigerians to begin experiencing “measurable reductions in transportation costs” from October 1.
“I encourage every state to maintain the momentum towards October 1. Work with transport unions and commercial operators. Support conversion and fleet deployment.
“Facilitate the infrastructure required. Above all, ensure that savings from cheaper energy reach Nigerian citizens through lower fares,” he said.
The President said several states were already recording reductions in transport fares through CNG-powered and electric buses.
He cited Borno, where CNG-powered and electric public transport services carry commuters for between N50 and N100 on routes where commercial operators charge between N300 and N600.
In Kaduna, he said 100 CNG-powered buses had provided free transportation on major routes, carrying about 3.2 million passengers in their first year and saving commuters more than N3.5bn in transport costs.
Tinubu also said CNG buses deployed to Pacesetter Transport in Oyo reduced the Lagos-Ibadan fare from about N8,000 to N3,200 during the initial deployment.
He said alternative-energy transit services in Adamawa had cut fares by as much as 50 per cent, from N8,000 to N4,000, while 100 CNG buses in Enugu had reduced the Enugu-Nsukka fare from N2,500 to N1,500.
In Plateau, government-supported buses carry about 13,000 commuters daily at N200, compared with more than N500 charged commercially, he said.
Tinubu also cited CNG-converted commercial vehicles operating on several Abuja routes through a partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers, saying passengers received a 40 per cent fare reduction.
According to him, fares from Area 1 to Gwagwalada had fallen from N1,500 to N900, Nyanya from N700 to N420, and Wuse from N400 to N240.
He said passengers on the Suleja-Abuja route in Niger paid N550, compared with about N800, while Abia had deployed 40 electric buses with fares subsidised by 50 per cent.
